Death Benefit

An Elliot Lerner Novel

By: Ken Isaacson

Narrated by: Kyle Tait

Length: 12 hrs and 23 mins

Publisher's summary

Suppose it were legal to gamble on the time someone else is going to die. It is, if you invest in a life insurance product called a viatical.

When the sister of a law firm client dies in her sleep of carbon monoxide poisoning because of an apparently malfunctioning hot water heater, third year law student Elliot Lerner is asked to determine whether anyone could be held responsible in a wrongful death lawsuit. As he looks into the circumstances surrounding the death, he learns about viatical settlements -- investment products designed to provide terminally ill patients with immediate cash in exchange for the right to their life insurance payouts when they die. The amount investors are willing to pay for a patient's death benefit depends on how much longer the patient is expected to live, because the investor must take over payment of the insurance premiums.

If it looks like the investor's gamble is not going to pay off as planned because the patient is living too long, and the cost of premium payments is exceeding expectations, there's only one way to eliminate that expense.

©2017 Kenneth J. Isaacson (P)2017 Kenneth J. Isaacson

Excellent!

Fantastic, well-written story with great narration! Highly recommend!


I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review. The fact that I was gifted this book had no influence over my opinion of it

Twists and turns to the very end!

Well-written, lots of suspects, holds your attention throughout!

Kyle Tait did a great job narrating. Knew his characters well and brought them to life.

I was given a free review copy of this audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

A Unique kind love story

when I heard this story I wasn't ready for a lot I hadn't had any expectations but the book surprised me for the better for much better than I thought it would the narrator was great as well I'm strangely I enjoyed every minute of it

I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review."

Excellent Murder Mystery!

What made the experience of listening to Death Benefit the most enjoyable?

The combination of the original plot, well-written characters, and a great narrator all make this book enjoyable. It seems at first like a legal thriller, but no time is spent in court. It is more of a detective murder mystery except that the detective is a lawyer who has good reason to be investigating and no experience doing so. This really adds to the intrigue because the listener is along for the ride as Elliot solves the case.

There are plenty of plausible suspects and at first the listener (like Elliot) is unaware of the full demensions of the murder mystery. It is not until half-way through the book that all the murders are revealed. Then it is up to Elliot to figure out how they are connected and who the culprit is.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Mrs. Whitmore. She is prim, proper and alway polite, yet razor sharp. She is instantly likeable. The development of this character throughout the book is brillant.

Have you listened to any of Kyle Tait’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No, this is a new narrator for me. He did an excellent job performing each character very well. After the first chapter, you do not notice that the narrator is even there. He is that good.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

It kept me in suspense the whole time I was listening. The author is very good at creating and sustaining intrigue and suspense. This is a great book and relatively clean.

Any additional comments?

I recieved this book for free from the author, narrator, or publisher in exchange for an honest review. This is a great book.

Quite the enjoyable whodunit

Interesting listen that kept me thinking about who was the bad guy.

"I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review."

It kept my interest

Overall, this was a book that kept my interest enough to want to finish. I think I would have enjoyed it more if it didn't involve a legal firm so much and instead was just an investigator trying to figure things out. For me, it would have been more believable. I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the author, narrator, or publisher.

A great insurance thriller

I know, I know -- Insurance and Thriller are not usually two words that go hand in hand. But in this case, they really do! This well-crafted novel is so interesting in that it pulls you from the get-go and never really lets you go.

A couple of times, when I was certain I knew what was happened, I was chagrined to learn that I was wrong, and it wasn't what I thought at all! Then I though someone was the bad guy, and he turned out to be okay! I love books that keep me guessing. The book explains just enough about how things work so that it's understandable, but not so much that you eyes glaze over, to grab a line from the book.

Narrator Kyle Tait did a great job of reading. I especially like how he portrayed the hero's Jewish Mother. He's great with the voices and emotes at just the right level as needed for each scene.

I recommend this book highly. Although I was provided with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, I would gladly pay for a copy of another book by this same author and narrator. Both have hooked me and made me instant fans.

Extraordinary creative plot! RECOMMENDED!

DEATH BENEFIT is an fascinating and unusual murder mystery. It is also Book 1 what is to be Elliot Lerner series. The publisher's is excellent at setting up the story. Kyle Tait is a new narrator to me; he is excellent. Yet again I thank Audible listener Shelley of Raleigh NC for her review which alerted me to another novel I likely would not have found.

More like a dry Intro to Law 101

Overall, I enjoyed getting to know Elliott Lerner in this first of the series.
Breaking the fourth wall was used “if you didn’t know” in areas most adults would know... There is a LOT of telling and not showing. We learn a lot through info dumps, and not living the events and moments as it happens. Too much legal jargon ... too much explaining the law.
Verb tense changed from present to past tense, jarring me from the enjoyment of listening. This cleared up more as the story progresses, but it still needs a through editing.
As a first person POV, I felt some details were over the top. This book could have been more solid as a third person POV, with the design of the writing style. It most likely would have clipped all the legal explanations.
Elliott seems to seek legal advice and brain storming from "regular" people. Or a banking official. Seems odd, since he certainly knows law professors or his firm to bounce ideas. This made it seem highly unrealistic- and dulled the story. A lot.
The last time I checked ... any one working in a law office wouldn't blab about their cases to outsiders ...
The book started off, feeling like Elliott had just recently started his internship; yet he makes comments that made it seem like he was seasoned (like when he emailed his boss, seeking advice).
Overall, I did like the characters, as characters in a book; although I wasn't crazy about them.
I wasn’t keen with the love interests. Again, it started off with a warm and cozy relationship ... then he becomes aloof and goes out with another girl. Almost as if the author decided to •not• go against the grain, and fall into the thinking thst most MC’s are prone to change relationships and cannot stay with the first significant other introduced to readers.
The mystery thriller was interesting and learning the who was motivating to keep me committed to continuing until the end.

Kyle Tait narrated this book. His storytelling and voice fluctuations was pivotal in sorting through the characters and deceit. He kept my attention in a way reading the book probably wouldn’t.

Death Benefit is better than most Indie books out there. I had expected more, and for that reason, I more likely would pick up the next book in the series -on audio, of course!

Similar review posted on Goodreads

Excellent story.

Not sure if this story was one of those often labeled as 'ripped from the headlines' or not, but I certainly wouldn't be shocked if it was. The idea behind the story feels completely believable, and I could totally picture this happening (if it hasn't already). For me, much of the book had kind of a Grisham The Firm feel to it. And I definitely mean that as a compliment as I loved that book. The story is loaded with twists and turns, and just when you think you know everything, something else pops up to add a new wrinkle. My only real issue with the book is that I felt the main character should have been in more danger. Given the circumstances of the story, with everything that Elliot was digging into, I kind of felt he should have been in danger. It just felt as if he was somewhat removed from the events, like he was watching it all from the behind safety glass. That really is my only complaint. Excellent characters and a compelling story. I'll definitely be looking forward to the next Elliot Lerner adventure.

Kyle Tait does a fantastic job narrating this one, and I find myself enjoying him more with each performance I hear.

I received a copy of this audio title for free in exchange for an unbiased review.